Nice Santa

Santa gave us all a fright, it was nearly light, and the kids would be up real soon.

My daughter wrote to Santa requesting a Racoon.

For the third year in a row, my eldest boy had requested a puppy, with a red balloon.

The little one who had only just learned to speak made it clear that he wanted Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer to take him to the moon.

I just wanted fit into my red dress one last time but knew this wasn't possible.

It was out of character, but he'd decided to go out with his workmates to celebrate getting their annual bonus, now Christmas Eve had passed, and Christmas Day was beginning to yawn.

Unable to sleep I went down to the kitchen for a drink, and much to my surprise a cloud of sooty dust appeared in the fireplace.

I ran outside to find a ladder up to the roof, and his head and shoulders were poking out of the chimney stack, arms waving like dirty red and white flags. The silly sod had one too many and really thought he was Santa Claus.

We had to call the Fire Brigade to get him out, all our friends and neighbours were out in the street it was so funny even I had to laugh. The Firefighters were great, and all the neighbours chipped in with hot toddies, cocoa and mince pies, and little presents for the kids.

It was probably the best Christmas we'd ever had, it was a long time ago all the kids have grown up and gone away, but when they all return with the grandchildren and their partners on Christmas Day we still burst into hysterics when he struggles into his old Santa suit, still stained with soot.

Merry Christmas Steve